Meter for measuring the volume of fluids flowing in a pipe line



June 12. 1956 H GEHRE 2,749,752

METER FOR MEASURING THE VOLUME OF' FLUIDS FLOWING IN A PIPE LINE FiledAug. l, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 12,- i956 H. GEHRE METER FORMEASURING THE VOLUME OF' FLUIDS FLOWING IN A PIPE LINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Aug. l 1951 June 12. 1956 H. GEI-IRE 2,749,752

METER FOR MEASURING THE VOLUME OF FLUIDS FLOWING IN A PIPE LINE FiledAug. 1, 1951 3 Shees-Sheet 3 ril/Zigi :I: 2/

- 20 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS METER FR MEASURNG THE VOLUME 0F FLUIDS FLWING ENA PIPE LINE Hans Gehre, ber-kassel (Rhine), Segkreis, Germany, as-

signor to Eister & CQ., Mainz, Germany, a corporation of GermanyApplication August 1, 1951, Serial No. 239,648

`Claims priority, application Germany August 9, 1950 19 Claims. (Cl.73-230) `In meters ,of this type, the proportionality between the oVelocity with which the fluid ilows past the meter wheel and the rate of-ow forms the basis of measurement. The velocity of liow may be measuredby the impulse which the -iluid exerts on the meter wheel. This impulsevaries according to the square of the velocity of 2 How.

In practical operation because of this, a change in the velocity of iiowat a higher rate of iiow will be reflected in the impulse measurementmuch more lthan a similar change of velocity at a lower rate of flow.

Because of this, these meters have the disadvantage that their errorcurve inthe lower part of the measuring ,range falls too soon, even at25% to 20% of the normal loading. This results in a progressivelyincreasing minus error out of the error limits determined to bepractically allowable, and ythe use of tricky and complicated`calculations is necessary in order to decrease the lower limit of ,thepractical useability of these meters to about 10% of the mean loading.In addition, the `density of lthe material measured influences theimpulses so that the error in the resulting velocity of rotationincreases as the density of the iiuid decreases. Finally, in gases andvapors the volume expansion in the outflow from the `throttle openingswill cause a greater plus kerror to occur as this expansion increaseswith the square of the velocity of flow, and thus Vin the upper part ofthe measuring range the impulse progressively rises with a krising rateof flow.

Many attempts have been made, and many measurements effected, in order`to obtain a correction for these errors. These measurements -andattempts have, however, proven unsatisfactory since they are either verycostly or not suiciently comprehensive in their effect to justify theiruse.

Attempts have also been made to eliminate these errors by constructingmeters in which the proportionality between the meter wheel velocity andthe rate of flow does not depend upon the aforementioned conditions butis produced by 'auxiliary devices and in which, for example, a float isconstructed as a turbine rotor which serves as the meter wheel and whichfrees various sizes of tlow cross-section in its different openpositions. By this construction, approximately kconstant overflow-velocity is given for all loadings, and the proportionality between thelrate of iiow and the velocity of b velocity so that for the gas volumemeter about tenfold velocities are given as compared with .proportionsin liquid meters, which is insupportable in view ,of the required safetyof the operation.

One object of this invention -is a construction of measuring wheelmeters -ior impulse-measuring indications of volumes of a Huid flowingina pipe line which will overcome all the aforementioned difficulties.This and still further objects will Sbecome apparent from the followingdescription read in conjunction .with the drawings in which:

Fig. l shows a vertical axial section of a meter construction inaccordance ywith ,the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a section through vthe plane I-I in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged -side elevation of a turbine blade andstationary vane as shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 shows `various sections through the blades and vanes shown inFig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the vane and turbine bladeconstruction in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment Aof the rotor shaft with a dampening deviceat its top;

Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment of the `turbine blade and stationaryrotor vane `construction in accordance with the invention; and,

Fig. 8 shows a vertical laxial section of a meter construction inaccordance with the invention ywith a floater plate.

The present invention avoids the above-mentioned difculties and enablesmeasuring-.wheel-meters to be constructed of which the lower`measuring-range-limit lies at about 2-3% of its meanloading. it relatesto measuringwheel-meters of that kind, .in which a floater constructedas a type of turbine :rotor serves as the meter-wheel, which in variousdifferent operating positions frees various sizes of flow cross-section.

According to the invention the turbine-rotor is formed closed on thesides and top but open at the bottom as, for example, a cylinder closedon the top and open at the bottom. This shape will be .referred tohereinafter as bell shaped. Around the rotor are provided blades, vanes,or the like, pointing downwardly, whilst the end of the passagewaycooperating with it carries a circle of vanes pointing upwardly, which`statici opposite the rotor blades at a shorter radius as `tguide-vanesand .engage therein at a greater or lesser depth .according to the openposition of the tloater bell, and the proportionality between the rotorsrotating velocity .and the rate of flow is obtained in that thedirection of flow of lthe material against the rotor blades is variablein dependence .on the position of the rotor bell. This occurs preferably.without the use of energy-consuming auxiliary means ina simple kineticway by the varies or blades of at least one of the two circles having atorsional shape with an increasing or decreasing pitch vthrough which,in the various open positions of the oater, different :triangles ofvelocities are given by the cross-sections ,of the :guide-venes and therotor blades lying yopposite each other in the outow or measuringcross-section and which are 4determined graphically, so that therotor-velocity produced gives the proportionality or other desiredrelation to the rate of ow.

The invention c an be better understood with reference to someembodiments illustrated in the drawings. In all figures, the same orcorresponding parts are given the same reference numbers.

Fig. 1 shows an axial vertical section through the meter, the housing ofwhich comprises three coaxially arranged, rigidly interconnected parts1, 2 and 3. The lower part 1 carries the entry pipe 4, the central part2 spirally constructed like a blast or centrifugal pump and carrying theex-it-pipe 5, as shown on the right by a circle. A horizontal sectionthrough the housing part 2 along the line I-I is shown in Fig. 2 on asmaller scale.

The upper part 3 of the housing forms a bell-shaped closure for itscentral part 2. Between these and the lower housing part 1 a cylindricaltube 7 is secured by a flange 6 in coaxial relationship, the upper end 8of which tube 7 is flared out in a trumpet-shape and carries acoaxially-iocated circle of upstanding guide-vanes 9. A shell 11 securedaxially in the cylindrical tube 7 by radial ribs iti forms aneck-bearing 12, which together with a neckbearing 13 located in theupper housing-part 3, forms the journalling for the rotor-shaft 14. Acoaxial flanged bell 16 between the housing parts 2 and 3 serves as thesupport for the upper neck-bearing 13, and is provided with openings forthe material being measured.

The meter-wheel is located on the shaft 14 by means of a hub 17. It isformed as a turbine-rotor in the shape of a shallow bell 18, on whoseouter cylindrical wall i9 a circle of downwardly-directed blades 20 aresecured. These blades are also connected to a concentrically positionedcylindrical ring 21 of slightly greater diameter. Ring 21 has aflange-like lower rim 22. This iiange is exactly opposite acorresponding flange 23 provided on the housing part 2. Flange 23surrounds the rim of the trumpet-shaped fiared part 8 of the cylindricaltube 7, defining a space, in which the rotor blades 20 engage.

A further cylindrical ring 24 is secured inside the bell 155. It servesto obtain an ordered tiow in the region of the blades and vanes 2t) and9, and also as an effective protect-ion against soiling by dust orcondensates separating from the fluid to be measured. In thehousing-part 2, further oblique guide-plates 2S are provided which arearranged concentrically to the axis of the rotor-shaft 14. From theirouter edges the housing-part 2 is formed spiralshaped in theabove-mentioned way.

The rotor-shaft 14 is easily moved up and down in the neck-bearings 12and 13, and with it the turbine-rotor with its auxiliary parts (parts 17to 22 and 24), wherein this movement is limited by stops (not shown), Inthe right-hand half of Fig. l, the turbine-rotor is shown located nearits lower end position just before the closure of the passageway, andthe left-hand half shows it in about a half open position. structed asone rigid piece, and one half cannot move in relation to the other. Eachhalf of Fig. l is shown in a different rotor position for the sake ofillustration. However, in actual construction, part 17 is one integralpiece the top of which forms a flat plane. The shell 11 has on its upperend two concentrically arranged cups 26 and 27, which are opened out toditerent widths and cooperate with a cylindrical ring 28 provided on thehub 17 to prevent soiling and thus protect the rotor-shaft 14 and itsjournalling. Moreover, the cup 27 has the purpose of guiding the flow ofmaterial to the split-ring limited by the parts 19, 22 and 24 of therotor on the one side, and the ange 23 on the other side, which formsthe measuring cross-section.

The ange of the bell 16 in the housing-part 3 is formed at its inner rim29 with a thickening having the effect of a labyrinth seal, by which thespaces 30 and 31 are separated from the exit-space 32 of thehousing-part. These spaces 30 and 31 stand over the annular space 33formed by the cylinders 19 and 21 in connection with the outow Ofcourse, the entire rotor is conand measuring cross-section in which therotor-blade circle 20 moves. The housing-part 3 carries at the top anextension 34 into which the upper end of the rotor-shaft 14 projects andfrom which ordinary means (not shown) transmit the rotation of therotor-shaft to the counting mechanism. The register actuating gearingand its mode of cooperation with the slidable shaft 14 does not formfart of the subject matter of the instant invention and may be etectedin any conventional manner.

The material being measured enters at 4, flows through the annular spaceformed by the housing 1 and the tube 7, then beneath and up the insideof the tube 7, under the rotor-bell 18, then in the measuringcross-section with increased velocity rst through the guide-vane circle9, then through the rotor-blade circle 2t) and finally after passing theguide-plates 25 flows through the spiral exitchamber 32 to the exit-pipe5.

The material measured attains its greatest velocity and least pressurein the rotor-vane circle 20, whereas it has a small velocity and aboutits greatest pressure under the bell-shaped rotor of the meter-wheelbecause of the damming-up of pressure. Since the smaller pressure of themeasuring cross-section transfers through the annuiar space 33 to thespaces 30 and 31, the two sides of the rotor are under apressure-difference. If this has become so great that it overcomes theweight of the turbine-rotor with all its auxiliary parts, then the rotorand its attached parts rise, whereby the cylinder 19 rises from theupper part 8 of the tube 7, the passage of the material to therotor-vanes 20 occurs freely and the rotor of the meter-wheel begins torotate, oating on the material being measured.

The greater the rate of iiow of the material being measured, the higheris the rotating system raised, without the effective pressure-differencein front of and behind the measuring cross-section and thus below andabove the turbine-rotor changing. Since neither' the weight of therotating-system alters nor its surfaces impinged on by the materialbeing measured except for the rotor blade area, the velocity of How ofthe material being measured remains constant in the region of thevanecircles 9 and 2t) for all meter-loadings. As only the outow andmeasuring cross-section changes and does so in proportion to the rate ofliow, with a constant pitch of the guide-vanes and rotor-blades, themeter-wheel would always run with the same velocity, in spite of therate of flow at any moment which would only determine its verticalposition. Any braking force originated by currents can be considered asnegligible because of its smallness.

in order to change the rotational rate of the rotor with any change inthe rate of flow, at least one of the guide-vanes and the rotor-bladesshould have a torsional shape with an increasing angle of pitch alongits length. The guide-varies and rotor-blades as shown have anincreasing pitch because of which different angles of flow on thevarious blade and vane sections lying opposite each other in the variousopen positions of the rotor in the measuring cross-section occur, anddifferent triangles of velocities and resultant vectors are obtained.The shape of the vanes is determined graphically so that the velocity ofrotation imparted to the rotor is proportional to the rate of flow.

Thus the automatic establishment of this proportionality is caused withthe greatest accuracy, for in the up and down movement of the rotor,practically no resistances have to be overcome, as due to its rotationthe friction in the guides 12 and 13 is almost zero and no reactionforces are present.

For a better understanding of the properties, the device according tothe invention is explained with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 in which therotor-blades as well as the guide-vanes are shown lying unrolled withthe preferred increasing pitch.

Fig. 3 shows the meter-wheel (turbine-rotor) in its afiliarse highestopen position. The arrow X shows the direction of iiow. Horizontalsections a, b, c, d, e are taken through the guide-vane 9 and the rotorblade 20, and appear as sections ag, bg, cg, dg, eg, in Fig. 4, whichfor the sake of simplicity are shown lying side by side. The sections ofthe oppositely-lying vanes and blades, 9 and 20, are so chosen withrespect to each other as shown here that the rotation-velocities of therotor blade 20, obtained from Velocity diagrams, are approximatelyequal. They can, of course, be made different. lt is only essential thatthe resulting rotation-velocity at any position is proportional to therate of llow.

lt is quite clear from a simple consideration of the relative trianglesof velocity without further explanation that the meter-wheel in theposition shown in Fig. 3 is at its highest rotation velocity, whereasthe rotation velocity can be a very small value if the cylinder rim 22approaches the opening-rim 23, for example when the section rig of therotor-blade '20 and the section eg of the guide-vane are lying oppositeeach other. The rotation of the meter-wheel varies between a minimum inthe smallest and a maximum in the largest measuring crosssection, thatis, proportional to the rate of llow. In all these changes, asmentioned, the velocity of llow of the material in the measuringcross-section remains the same.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to4 but can be carried out and constructed in various ways.

Thus the meter can be built having two or more circles of vanes orblades. An embodiment by way or" example, in which a second guide-vanecircle 35 is provided behind the rotor-blade circle (as seen in thedirection of flow of the material) which leads the material measured toa second rotor-blade circle `secured to the rotor-bell 18, isillustrated in Fig. 5. The second guide-vane circle 35 is secured to acircular beam 36 provided on .a lllange 6, the second rotor-blade circle37 is secured to a further cylindrical ring 38 of the rotor. The opening33 which connects the space above the rotor-bell 13 with the measuringcross-section is here provided between the two cylindrical rings 3S, 39of the rotor, 'but can however, be arranged between the rings 38 and 21.

The second vane Vand blade circle pair 35 and 37 is specially protectedagainst soiling. Under the action of its greater leverage, the moment'of rotation of the rotor is considerably increased and the inuence ofthe running resistance'on the rotor relative to the moment Vof rotationis considerably decreased, so that an essential llatter course of theerror-curve of the meter results. The alteration of direction of thellow ellected by the second guide-vane circle 35 `must be related 'tothe increased running velocity of the rotor blade circle 37. Therequired entry angles are preferably determined empirically (by means oftriangles-of velocity) so that an entry as free from pulsations aspossible is obtained. By the use of a three-circle rotor as themeter-wheel, the properties can be improved still further.

ln order to avoid, in sudden large loading variations, a jerking of therotor in-an axial direction, a damping device can be provided as, forexample, in the form of a disc at), which is secured to the upper end ofthe shaft 1li, and only has little play against the walls oftheextension 34 (see also Fig. l). This arrangement is illustrated in Fig.6. To increase'the 'damping action, the opening d1 through which theshaft 14 'passes from the extension 34 can be madecorrespondingly small.

if impure gases are being'measure'dfthen the construction of therotor-bell according'to Fig. l or 5 is preferred provided with two ormore cylindrical rings which protect the measuring cross-section fromsoiling to the greatest extent.

The embodiment in accordance with Fig. 7 shows that one edge of theoutow cross-section can be a nozzleshape, the other a diaphragm-shape,and thus an approximately constant outflow coetlicient is'obtained. Theupper outflow edge of the measuring cross-section is here formed by theedges of the cylindrical rims 24, 19, 21, and its outtlow coecient has adiaphragm characteristic. rihe lower outflow edge is formed in theabove-mentioned sense by the nozzle-ring 57, 58, and consequently thelower edge of the measuring cross-section will have an outflow coelcientwith a nozzle characteristic. A further cylindrical ring 59 located onthe rotor bell i8 acts as a screen which prevents the soiling of theoutllow edges on the lower rims of the rings 24 and 19.

A further embodiment is given by the arrangement of the auxiliaryblowing device before the rotor-blade circle, which improves thestart-ing of the turbine-rotor and ensures the accuracy of themeasurement at the smallest rates of ilow and comes out of action assoon as the rotor has risen to a definite adjustable degree. ln theembodiment according to Fig. l, such an auxiliary blowing device isprovided in the form of an adjustable nozzle 60 which is protected fromsoiling by va filter 61. The adjustment of nozzle 6% is eiected bysimply screwing the nozzle in a higher or lower position. This can be sodimensioned and adjusted that it effects a moment or' rotation on therotor which is approximately the same as the moment of resistance whichopposes the rotation of the rotor,

The smaller the diameter of the rotor, the greater is the share of thewhole weight of the rotor falling on a surface unit of its base, andthus the greater must the pressure-difference on the two sides of therotor -be if it is to operated by this pressure-difference. A greaterpressure-dillerence is, however, reflected by a greater velocity ofAilow, and this again by va greater rotor velocity. Consequently `smallmeters, if `their measuring range is not limited, Vinsupportably highvelocities of rotation would result. Hence, further ways of carrying outthe invention serve for the purpose of enabling small velocities of llow`to fbe obtained in smaller meters and correspondingly small velocitiesof rotation -of the rotor. These are illustrated `in Fig. '-8. One ofthem consists of a light floater plate 62 or Ithe -like which isarranged in the lower part of the guide-tube Y7 and is secured on anextension of the rotor shaft 14 projecting downwardly into this. Theshell di iis increased somewhat in this case.

The Vlower part'of the tube 7 is narrowed, preferably bya-correspondingly constructed vring63 of conical shape or of a type oftruncated parabolical frustum, adjustable in height. In this smallerpart, the lloater plate 62 moves by the same amount to .alter the openposition of the rotor-bell lf3. Thus the size-of the ring cross-sectionbetween the Vlloater plate 62 and the part 63 alters as in oater-meters.The size of the ring cross-section can be determined ioriexample bymaking it and the measuring cross-sections always in a denite sizerelation to each other.

The iioater plate 62 by which practically the effective upper surface ofthe Vrotor-bell 18 is increased, undergoes bythe flowing through of thematerial a surplus of lifting power in proportion to a multiple of itsweight, which is transferred by the shaft 14 to the rotor bell 18 andraises-it. Consequently, the pressure dillerence of both sides of therotor-bell 18 can be decreased by an amount corresponding to thissurplus of lifting power without a sinking ofthe rotor, and the velocityof the flow of the material and thus `the velocity of rotation of therotor can lbe decreased bya corresponding amount.

By another formationofthe part 63, the pressure-difference Aeffectiveontherotor-bell can be made variable in any other-desired way, forexample during the first-part of the rotor-bell movement the velocity oftlow remaining constant and in further rising of the rotor-bellincreasing continually or stepwise as is required by the setting of theparticular case. Thus by the adjustability of the part 63, there is apossibility of a most accurate adjustment and-regulation of therotation-velocity.

flnsmall meters, vhowever, in order to enable small velocities ofrotation of the rotor, a greater meter-Wheel diameter can be used andthen by regulation of the Weight of the rotor or by partial screening ofa part of the measuring cross-section, the velocity of flow can beadjusted to the new conditions. Such screening is shown in Fig. 8 and isillustrated with reference 64. This forms at 65 a kind of labyrinth sealtogether with the cylindrical ring 24. This screening can be constructedfrom a plurality of mutually-interleaving and concentric cylinder partson a common axis whereby the possibility is given of increasing anddecreasing the Screening at will. A further way of carrying out theinvention is, for example, in making the two cups 26 and 27 differentfrom those shown in Fig. l and at a definite distance from therotor-bell 18 so that they are movable up and down with it. In thisconstruction the protection in any open position of the rotor-bell 18 isthe same, and the cup 27 always directs the flow to the measuringcross-section with reference to the particular height of saidcross-section. The arrangement is shown, for example, in Fig. 8. Afurther possibility of construction is in strengthening the rotor bladecircle by means of coaxially-arranged cross-rings. These give it therigidity necessary for the highest Velocity of rotation and servesimultaneously as the flow-guide. As the construction would be obviousto one skilled in the art from the above, a diagrammatic illustrationappears to be unnecessary.

The embodiments and methods of practice described and illustrated can beused in various combinations, of which only one example is given here.

A further pos-sible combination is illustrated in Fig. 8. As well as theabove-mentioned iioater-plate 62 with the constriction 63 of thecylinder-tube 67, a current fan 56 is provided. A known Woltman-fan witha Connected now-rectifier 66 serves as the current fan. The Woltmanfanacts on the rotor-shaft 14 and produces a considerable reserve of themoment of rotation in the case where the drive of the counting mechanismof the meter is affected by harmful influences, so that in such casesunwanted high errors are avoided. Moreover a reaction nozzle 67 isprovided w'hich is located in the oater-plate 62 and takes part in itsrotation. This embodiment may, for example, be used in accordance withthe meter shown in Fig. l.

The lower limit of the measuring-range is decreased by the measuringwheel-meter according to the invention to an extent not obtainedpreviously. Even slowly-moving amounts of material are readily indicatedby it. This is due to the fact that no uid is passed through themeasuring opening in the zero position because of the tight closure, andthe pressure-difference must reach the predeermined amount necessary inorder to lift the bell and open the measuring passage.

Even, however, when the closure of the rotor-bell is not tight asatisfactory measurement in the lowest part of the measuring range isensured. In this ease, the rotorbell begins to rotate before reachingthe predetermined pressure-diflerence. However, the outfiowcross-section still remains approximately constant and the velocity offlow is itself proportional to the rate of flow. The rotor rises onlyafter reaching the predetermined pressure-difference, and themeasurement now follows according to the invention with a constantvelocity of flow in a variable outflow cross-section.

A further advantage of the measuring wheel-meter ac cording to theinvention is its high accuracy even if the meter is considerablyoverloaded. For with the upper position of the rotor-bell (which is setaccording to the existing requirements and corresponds usually to 1.2 to1.5 times the nominal loading), the upper limit of its intendedpractical usability is still not reached. The rate of ow can beincreased still further. However, the Outow and measuring cross-sectionnow remains constant, that is, the measuring 'takes place at anoutflow-Velocity proportional to the rate of How, as for an Ordinarymeasing wheel-meter.

Since the meter operates at a very small constant pressure-dilerence upto this point, the variable pressure-difference-s above this point areso slight that in this measuring range the above-mentioned Volume-errorof the ordinary measuring wheel-meters is not particularly noticeable,even if the rate of ow is doubled or trebled. The measuring varies inexcess of the limits mentioned from one to the other principle ofmeasurement and this changeover is ca used without error in practice.

Finally it is noted that obviously, instead of the rotorbell l, thefioater-plate 62 can serve in its lowest position as the closure for thepassageway. This has the advantage that a very tight closure isobtained, and at the same time a wearing-out by use of the rim of therotorbell with the correspondingly decreased Variability of theoutflow-coefficient is avoided.

Of course, many other embodiments and Variations will become apparent tothe skilled artisan after reading the above. The particular embodimentsand descriptions are, therefore, not set forth for the purpose oflimitation but merely for illustration, the invention being limited bythe appended claims or their equivalents.

I claim:

l. A meter for measuring fluid flowing through a pipe line comprising ameter housing, means defining a tiuid entrance into said housing, mean-sdefining a substantially vertical fluid passage, centrally locatedwithin said housing and positioned for conducting uid from said fluidentrance to the lower part of said housing and up through the centralportion of said housing, a bell-shaped turbine rotor centrallypositioned for rotation about a substantially vertical axis in the upperportion of said housing and freely axially displaceable between aposition in substantially fluid-tight engagement with the upper portionof said means defining the uid passage, and a position defining amaximum duid-measuring passage with the upper portion of said meansdefining the fluid passage, means dening a uid exit positioned fordischarging fluid from said housing after passing through said measuringpassage, at least one ring of turbine blades connected to said rotor andpositioned at said measuring passage for rotating actuation by fluidpassing through said measuring passage, at least one stationary ring ofguide vanes positioned concentrically inside said ring of turbine bladesfor directing the tiow of fluid therethrough, the vanes and blades ofsaid rings of guide vanes and turbine blades having opposed pitches withat least one of said vanes and said blades being dimensioned with anincreasing pitch along their length, whereby portions of said vanes andSaid blades with a decreasing angle therebetween become adjacentlyopposed as said rotor is axially displaced from said fiuid-tightengagement, and means positioned for transmitting the rotation of saidrotor to indicating means.

2. Meter according to claim 1, in which the upper part of said housingdefines a labyrinth seal with said turbine rotor and including a fluidduct through the bottom of the rotor-bell and connecting said measuringpassage and the housing part above said labyrinth seal.

3. Meter according to claim 2, in which a co-axial cy- 1indrical ring ispositioned on said rotor and in which said fluid duct is defined betweensaid ring and said rotor.

4. Meter according to claim l, in which said means defining the uidpassage is fiared outwardly at the upper end thereof and said ring ofturbine blades is rigidly positioned on said bell-shaped rotor so thatthey will extend past the upper lip of said means defining the fluidpassage to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon the axialdisplacement of said turbine rotor.

5. Meter according to claim l, in which the portion of said housingsurrounding said measuring space is spirally formed.

6. Meter according to claim l, including at least one coaxially-arrangedrim positioned on said turbine rotor as a fiuid ow guide.

7. Meter according to claim l, including screening means positioned infront of at least a portion of said measuring passage.

8. Meter according to claim 1, in which said turbine rotor is mounted ona rotor shaft, said rotor shaft having dampening means positionedthereon for dampening any axial movement thereof.

9. Meter according to claim 8, in which said dampening means comprisespiston means positioned at the end of said shaft and cylinder meanssurrounding said piston means.

l0. Meter according to claim 1, in which said turbine rotor is mountedon an axially displaceable rotor shaft, said rotor shaft having afloater plate connected thereto at the lower end thereof.

ll. Meter according to claim l0, in which a portion of said fluidpassage surrounding said oater plate varies in diameter along the lengthof the axial displacement of said floater plate.

12. Meter according to claim 11, in which said floater plate has areaction nozzle positioned thereon.

13. Meter according to claim 1, in which said turbine rotor ispositioned on an axially-displaceable rotor shaft, and including afloater plate positioned on the lower end of said rotor shaft, saidfloater plate being in substantially Huid-tight engagement with said udpassage at the lowest axially-displaceable position of said shaft.

14. Meter according to claim 1, in which said turbine rotor ispositioned on an aXially-displaceable rotor shaft and said shaft has acurrent fan connected thereto at the lower end thereof.

15. Meteraccording to claim 14, in which said fan is a Woltman fan andincluding a flow rectifier positioned in said fluid passage below saidfan.

16. Meter according to claim l, including an auxiliary fluid nozzlepositioned for passing fluid against said turbine blades at the lowestposition of said turbine rotor.

17. Meter according to claim l, including at least twoconcentrically-arranged rings of turbine blades.

18. Meter according to claim 17, including at least two rings ofstationary guide-vanes, one positioned in front of each of said rings ofturbine blades.

19. Meter according to claim 1, in which said measuring passage isnozzle-shaped at one part thereof and diaphragm-shaped at the otherpart.

Creuzbaur Oct. l2, 1886 Lambert Ian. 15, 1918

1. A METER FOR MEASURING FLUID FLOWING THROUGH A PIPE LINE COMPRISING AMETER HOUSING, MEANS DEFINING A FLUID ENTRANCE INTO SAID HOUSING, MEANSDEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL FLUID PASSAGE, CENTRALLY LOCATEDWITHIN SAID HOUSING AND POSITIONED FOR CONDUCTING FLUIDL FROM SAID FLUIDENTRANCE TO THE LOWER PART OF SAID HOUSING AND UP THROUGH THE CENTRALPORTION OF SAID HOUSING, A BELL-SHAPED TURBINE ROTOR CENTRALLYPOSITIONED FOR ROTATION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS IN THE UPPERPORTION OF SAID HOUSING AND FREELY AXIALLY DISPLACEABLY BETWEEN APOSITION IN SUBSTANTTIALLY FLUID-THIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UPPERPORTION OF SAID MEANS DEFINING THE FLUID PASSAGE, AND A POSITIONDEFINING A MAXIMUM FLUID-MEASURING PASSAGE WITH THE UPPER PORTION OFSAID MEANS DEFINING THE FLUID PASSAGE, MEANS DEFINING A FLUID EXITPOSITIONED FOR DISCHARGING FLUID FROM SAID HOUSING AFTER PASSING THROUGHSAID MEASURING PASSAGE, AT LEAST ONE RING OF TURBINE BLADES CONNECTED TOSAID ROTOR AND PROSITIONED AT SAID MEASURING PASSAGE FOR ROTATINGACTUATION BY FLUID PASSING THROUGH SAID MEASURING PASSAGE, AT LEAST ONESTATIONARY RING OF GUIDE VANES POSITIONED CONCENTRICALLY INSIDE SAIDRING OF TURBINE BLADES FRO DIRECTING THE FLOW OF FLUID THERETHROUGH, THEVANES AND BLADES OF SAID RINGS OF GUIDE VANES AND TURBINE BLADES HAVINGOPPOSED PITCHES WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID VANES AND SAID BLADES BEINGDIMENSIONED WITH AN INCREASING PITCH ALONG THEIR LENGTH, WHEREBYPORTIONS OF SAID VANES AND SAID BLADES WITH A DECREASING ANGLETHEREBETWEEN BECOME ADJACENTLY OPPOSED AS SAID ROTOR IS AXIALLYDISPLACED FORM SAID FLUID-TIGHT ENGAGEMENT, AND MEANS POSITIONED FORTRANSMITTING THE ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR-TO INDICATING MEANS.